AMD seeks to acquire 4 small cloud computing firms in India

SummaryComputer processor maker Advanced Micro Devices is on a recovery path in India.

Computer processor maker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is on a recovery path in India. AMD India is planning to acquire three or four small and mid-sized companies engaged in cloud computing and specialised programme and software development.

Besides planned acquisitions through a venture fund owned by AMD globally, the firm has enforced numerous structural changes to strengthen competitive positioning and improve financial performance both globally and in India.

“AMD is committed to support such game changing innovators through investment and other activity as we work together to usher in new experiences that allow consumers to enjoy the full capabilities of the brilliant graphics and computing performance enabled by AMD,” said Manju Hegde, corporate vice-president, AMD Fusion Experience Programme.

Hegde added that AMD will not be interested in picking up strategic stakes for the sake of returns on investment in companies and would buy only those that could value add to the various computing platforms.

Last year, AMD announced an investment in BlueStacks, a venture-backed firm developing innovative software. “Similar deals would happen in future also,” Hegde said. The year 2011 was relatively a better year for the chip maker, with most of its India strategy clicking. AMD has managed to win some large tenders from state and central government establishments during the past six months.

India has assumed an important place on AMD’s global footprint. AMD’s new CEO (global) Rory Read, during his first visit to India, had brought along the entire eight-member AMD executive team (AET) — the group of senior executives that drive strategy and operations at the $7-billion firm. For the first time, the AET was meeting outside of North America. With new form factors like tablets, some have even questioned the viability of PCs and laptops, the bread-and-butter market for AMD.